Grooming Apparatus for Facial Hair

ABSTRACT

An apparatus to aid in the grooming of facial hair, said apparatus comprising a symmetrical template and an alignment system consisting of several markings on the template&#39;s exterior. The template contours to fit the user&#39;s face, covering facial hair in a pre-determined pattern to prevent it from being cut or trimmed during shaving. The alignment system is positioned so that the user can rest the external markings upon the bridge of their nose and their philtrum, allowing the user to center the apparatus symmetrically on their face when in use. The apparatus can be operated by one hand, leaving the other hand free. When used in conjunction with an outlining pencil, razor trimmer, and/or similar grooming tool, the apparatus allows for the creation of neat, smooth edges along the perimeter of the user&#39;s facial hair.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The following relates to personal grooming aids.

BACKGROUND

Regularly grooming facial hair to predictable style with neat andcleanly-cut edges can prove somewhat difficult for the average person.The face is a curved surface with several irregularities in shape andcontour that can cause problems while attempting to trim one's facialhair along a smooth line by sight alone. While some templates exist toassist in trimming the facial hair on one side of the face, they do notoffer any means of ensuring that both sides of the facial hair will becut symmetrically. Such templates also do not offer any means by whichthe user can symmetrically align the template on their face in arepeatable manner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a view from the front of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view from the rear an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a ¾ view of an embodiment of the invention from the front.

FIG. 6 is an image of an embodiment of the invention while held againsta user's face during use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention is an apparatus that can be used to assist in the groomingof facial hair. In particular, the apparatus aids in symmetricallytrimming facial hair to a repeatable style with neat and clean edges.

FIG. 1 depicts one possible embodiment of the apparatus, viewed from thefront. The apparatus is a template for the grooming of facial hair. Thetemplate is shaped to shield the user's facial hair during tracing withan outlining pencil and subsequent trimming, aiding the user in shavingto a preset style. The exterior of the template is shown as reference101. An external marking 102 may be present, visible to the user, to aidin centering the apparatus on the face. The template may be generallysymmetrical along a vertical axis, as illustrated for the reader by thevertical symmetry line 103. An optional set of patterned tips 104 canrest against the user's face under the ears when the apparatus is inuse, cushioning the skin and aiding in positioning the apparatus when inuse. The apparatus may also include an optional recessed section 105which fits the user's fingers, aiding in holding the apparatus with onlyone hand while in use.

FIG. 2 depicts the same embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,viewed from behind. The interior 201 of the apparatus is curved tocontour to the user's face while in use. An internal raised marking 202may be present, which can be aligned with the user's philtrum to aid incentering the apparatus on the face while in use. This area may besurrounded by a patterned pad to cushion the user's skin and preventslipping, aiding in holding the apparatus with only one hand while inuse. The template may be generally symmetrical along a vertical axis, asillustrated for the reader by the vertical symmetry line 103. Theoptional set of patterned tips 104 can rest against the user's faceunder the ears when the apparatus is in use, cushioning the skin andaiding in positioning the apparatus when in use. An optional interiorset of gripping pads 205 may be included to cushion the user's skin andprevent slipping, aiding in holding the apparatus with only one handwhile in use.

FIG. 3 depicts the same embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,viewed from the top. The template's exterior 101 and interior 201 arecurved to contour to the user's face while in use. The internal raisedmarking 202 and the external marking 102 can be seen relative to oneanother, showing how both could be used simultaneously to align theapparatus on the face while in use. The template may be generallysymmetrical along a vertical axis, as illustrated for the reader by thevertical symmetry line 103. The same optional set of patterned tips 104can rest against the user's face under the ears when the apparatus is inuse, cushioning the skin and aiding in positioning the apparatus when inuse.

FIG. 4 depicts the same possible embodiment of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1, viewed from the side. The template has been shaped to covercertain regions of the user's facial hair while leaving others exposed,assisting in trimming the facial hair to a corresponding style with neatand clean edges. The same optional set of patterned tips 104 can restagainst the user's face under the ears when the apparatus is in use,cushioning the skin and aiding in positioning the apparatus when in use.The same optional recessed section 105 which fits the user's fingersaides in holding the apparatus with only one hand while in use.

FIG. 5 depicts the same possible embodiment of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1, viewed from the front at a ¾ view. The templates' exterior 101has been shaped to cover certain regions of the user's racial hair whileleaving others exposed, assisting in trimming the facial hair to apredictable style with neat and clean edges. An external marking 102 maybe present, visible to the user, to aid in centering the apparatus onthe face. The interior of the apparatus' templates 201 are curved tocontour to the user's face while in use. The same optional set ofpatterned tips 104 can rest against the user's face under the ears whenthe apparatus is in use, cushioning the skin and aiding in positioningthe apparatus when in use. The same optional recessed section 105 whichfits the user's fingers, aides in holding the apparatus with only onehand while in use.

FIG. 6 depicts the same possible embodiment of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1, viewed while held against a hypothetical user's face during use.The same optional set of patterned tips 104 can rest against the user'sface under the ears when the apparatus is in use, cushioning the skinand aiding in positioning the apparatus when in use. The same optionalrecessed section 105 which fits the user's fingers aides in holding theapparatus with only one hand while in use. The external marking 102 canbe seen, showing how it can be viewed by the user to aide in centeringthe apparatus on the face while in use. An internal raised marking 202can be seen aligned with the user's philtrum to aid in centering theapparatus on the face while in use.

The apparatus may be produced with various differently shaped templates,each of which allows the facial hair to be trimmed in a respectivedifferent style.

The apparatus may be constructed in such a way that its templates can beadjusted and reconfigured by the user to change the area of the facethat they cover, allowing the user's facial hair to be trimmed to amultitude of styles.

The Apparatus may be constructed using a number of materials. Potentialembodiments of the invention might be made using materials such as (butnot limited to) metal, wood, rubber, foam, latex, and glass, or anycombination of such materials.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus to aid in the grooming offacial hair, said apparatus comprising: a symmetrical template; and analignment system that comprises a plurality of markings on thetemplate's exterior, wherein the template is contoured to fit a user'sface, covering facial hair in a pre-determined pattern to prevent thefacial hair from being trimmed during shaving; and wherein the markingsof the alignment system are positioned so that the user can rest themarkings upon the bridge of one or more of the user's nose and philtrum,allowing the user to center the apparatus symmetrically on the user'sface when in use.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus isconstructed from a single piece of plastic.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the apparatus is constructed from a single piece of wood.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is constructed from a singlepiece of metal.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the markingscomprise one or more visible markings.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the markings comprise one or more raised features.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the template comprises one or more grippositions configured to allow the user to securely hold the templateagainst the face.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or moregrip positions each comprise a textured area configured to preventslippage from fingertips of the user.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the template is configured to be held against the face of theuser with one hand.